“But now is the time that other players step up and show quality, they show mentality and they help the team and also the manager to do his work.

“We have to improve, to step up and to show that the year is not finished and that we have to fight for this.

“He’s a machine. A goal machine,” he said of Lacazette. “Laca’s a very good player. In some games, from the outside, you can’t see what he can do.

“Maybe he is struggling a little bit, but we have to see also how the game is and which guy he has behind him.

“Laca on Saturday was against two players every time. When you play the ball to him it’s very difficult [for him] to do the first control because all the defenders are strong.

“I think Laca is coming better and better. I think he is a very good player, a massively important player for us.

“We are with him every time, he is with us and we will show altogether in the future a lot of things.”

On a personal note, I am very confident Arsenal will do just fine without Aubameyang, there is more than enough talent in the forwards to cover for the captain and provide the necessary goals.

This is not the same flaky Arsenal we became accustomed to under Unai Emery. This lot now are taking on their responsibilities under Arteta and I am sure they will respond to the Spaniard in a positive way.